GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Less than two months after creating a citizen advisory panel for the county Animal Control Department, the group that started it is shutting down.

County Commissioner Mark Young, D-Grand Blanc Twp., said he's putting his Animal Control Subcommittee on ice and is suggesting citizens who are concerned with the shelter's policies turn to Commissioner Omar Sims, D-Flint.

Sims is the chairman of the Board of Commissioners' government operations committee, which Animal Control and the subcommittee each report to.

Among ongoing issues at the Flint Township shelter: its traditionally high euthanasia rates for dogs and cats, implementation of a spay and neuter grant, rules for volunteers, and adoption policies.

"I hope he's (Sims) able to follow through on some of these things," Young said today, April 29. "I've put in quite a few hours -- probably four to six hours a week -- just on Animal Control."

One animal advocacy group -- Genesee County Residents for Animal Control Evolution -- said they don't like what's happening and plan to make that clear at Wednesday's meeting of commissioners.

"We've actually gotten to know what's going on at Animal Control ... there's a ton of things in progress, and (our work is) not costing the county anything," said Richard Angelo, a founder of GRACE. "I can guarantee you the full board doesn't want to sit there every week and talk about Animal Control issues."

After the Animal Control Subcommittee helped start the citizens advisory group, more than 50 people showed up at the initial meeting and a group of 12 has met twice more since, Angelo said.

GRACE has established a Facebook page aimed bringing as many supporters as possible to the Wednesday's commissioners meeting.

The Facebook page says, in part, that Young, "who has supported us and helped set up this Advisory Panel is getting a tremendous amount of push back(from) people who do not want to change GCAC.

"They’d rather leave things as they are. Some of them think the shelter is doing a fine job as it is. We DO NOT AGREE and we intend to fight for the right to continue to recommend changes and be given assurance that reasonable steps will be taken by the (county commissioners) to implement them," the posting says.

Young said he talked to Sims Friday about "his position against subcommittees," according to an email that the Grand Blanc Township Democrat sent to fellow commissioners.

Sims has complained for several weeks about the work of subcommittees in county government, particularly Young's budget and finance committee. Subcommittees don't make formal decisions and meet with less than a quorum of the nine-member board.

Sims has also complained that the subcommittees take away from transparency in county government.

He said Monday that he wasn't prepared to comment on the Animal Control issues or whether the citizen advisory group would continue to meet.

"At the end of the day, we're all responsible for the day-to-day operation of that facility," Sims said.